Happy Birthday Surfer Dad
Since then I’ve tried to post lots of stunning surf photos, interesting surf news and entertaining surfing videos. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride so far, and as my daughter grows older and stronger, the plan is to share some of our surf adventures as well.
Thanks for the encouraging words from fellow surfer parents, including Hawaiian Heather at Mama Surfs, Work Surf Katrina from SoCal and Tony Plant from Newquay. It’s great when someone says “Hi, I like what you’re doing”, so please get in touch.
I’m always trying to improve the blog, so let me know what you want to see. What do you like about Surfer Dad? Or is there something about the blog you can’t stand? Please let me know the good, bad and ugly.
Anyway enough about me, there’s a couple of other birthdays to shout about:
UK surfing is 50 this month
Lewis Rosenberg - a founding father of UK surfing
According to Roger Mansfield, 1970s British Surf Champ and author of “The Surfing Tribe”, it was in 1962 that a gang of Newquay surfers ignited the UK surf scene. There were previous British pioneers who surfed including King Edward VIII, Agatha Christie and Lewis Rosenberg, but these surf legends never sparked a UK surfing scene.
It was more the materials than people that lead to the explosion of surfing in the UK. In particular polyurethane foam. Before 1962 most surfboards had a wooden core, so were heavy and not easy to move in or out of the water. However the advent of foam core surfboards transformed the way surfers and their boards could ride the waves.
Whilst the exact origins of a UK surf culture are questionable, the effect of four Aussie lifeguards riding waves at Great Western in April 1962 is certain. The Aussies had brought with them foam core surfboards made in Australia, and it wasn’t long before the locals laid their hands on their own. Transforming the local and UK surf scene forever.
English National Surf Comp is 40 – soon
The 40th English National Surf Championships will be held at Watergate Bay on the 5th, 6th & 7th May. It is one of the oldest and largest surf competitions in the UK, and entices our native surfers to come home after a winter break abroad.
The pressure will be on Tom Baker to defend his English Open Champion status. Having not long returned from surfing monster waves in Ireland, Tom should be feeling confident. Especially after his giant barrel ride at Mullaghmore Head that was entered for the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards 2012, see video below: